(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information display system capable of simultaneously displaying a multiple number of frames, and in particular relates to an information display system for an information processing apparatus which, when the apparatus has been previously reserved for a multiple number of information processing jobs, can effect the reserved information processing jobs.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
There have been image processing apparatus which have a display unit (e.g., dot matrix display device) capable of displaying not only numeric characters and symbols, but also Japanese syllabaries, Chinese characters, alphabet and other images. The display unit in such an image processing apparatus is adapted to be able to display the status frame (status confirmation frame) for showing the status of the information processing apparatus and an input setup frame (instruction input frame) with which the processing conditions and processing method are designated. Since these frames can be displayed, it is possible to perform smooth input of the conditions and it is possible for the user to confirm the status of the information processing apparatus, i.e., the contents of the processing job being currently executed and the contents of the processing jobs which are not currently being executed but have been reserved, in a list form.
As an example of techniques of this kind, those disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Hei 8 No.194588 (will be mentioned as prior art 1) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Hei 10 No.32664 (will be mentioned as prior art 2) can be referred to.
Prior art 1 is to provide a printer and printing job display method which can present the processing status of printing jobs and processing result at any time it is requested by the user and allows the user to readily check what order in the queue of jobs the wanted print job is located. This printer includes a job display control means for displaying on the display individual job information of the print data files sequentially input and the status information of the print result corresponding to each job. This job display control means is adapted to display on the display the list of a predetermined number, dependent upon the display capacity, of the latest job information and the status information of print results, in accordance with the display request.
Prior art 2 is to perform total management of a variety of jobs in an image forming system connected to a network so as to realize efficient use of the image forming system. This image forming system manages the data concerning the system status and the jobs received thereby and displays them on the display means. In this system, the name of the user who has requested the designated job or other information is displayed so as to allow change of the output order and/or other job settings or cancellation of a job by means of key input control.
However, it is impossible for the conventional display means including the above prior arts 1 and 2 to have a large display area because of the structure of the image forming apparatus. Therefore, either the status confirmation frame or the instruction input frame is displayed by switching the display from one to the other as appropriate. When the status needs to be checked, the status confirmation frame is displayed on the display screen while the instruction input frame is displayed when instructions of the conditions and setup etc. are given. That is, the content on the display screen must be completely changed over.
In this case, when many pieces of status information should be handled as in an information processing apparatus connected to a network, or when the information processing apparatus is of a composite type (multi-functional type) which has multiple functions and hence needs to be provided with setup data and instructions of conditions for each function, it is difficult for the user to remember the information displayed on the previously displayed frame, posing the problem of a hold up during the input, etc. of new instructions.
For example, an information processing apparatus which handles multiple pieces of information received via a number of input interfaces via networks, may be supplied with new pieces of information (commands of new processing jobs) after the status of the information processing apparatus has been checked through the status confirmation frame whilst continuing the processing in accordance with the content of the received information. Therefore, in order to realize the grasp of the certain processing job and the inputting of the instruction for the user, the information processing apparatus of this kind needs to continuously provide the user with new information (the progress status of the processing job) so that the user is able to readily access the latest information.
However, as to the conventional information processing apparatus, there is a limit to the frame size of the display means as stated above, so that the status confirmation frame and the instruction input frame should be totally switched from one to the other. As a result, it has been impossible for the user to check the latest information and grasp the status of the information processing apparatus at the same time.
The present invention has been devised in order to solve the above problems, and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an information display system and image forming apparatus, which are incorporated in an information processing apparatus capable of having multiple information processing tasks to be reserved and executing the reserved information processing tasks and which can display the contents (information outlines) of the multiple frames on the display area, even though it is limited, to provide the user with the displayed information at the same time.
In order to achieve the above object, according to one feature of the present invention, an information display system capable of displaying multiple frames is characterized in that when a subsequent frame is overlaid on a preceding frame, a summary display area that presents the summary of the information displayed in the preceding frame is displayed along with the subsequent frame. According to the present invention having the above feature, even with the subsequent frame displayed, a summary display area that presents the summary of the information displayed in the preceding frame is displayed along with the subsequent frame. Therefore, even with the subsequent frame displayed, it is possible to grasp the content of the preceding frame which is hidden by the subsequent frame. Thus, it is possible to easily grasp the total status of image information being displayed.
The present invention of the above configuration is further characterized in that the preceding frame has as part thereof the summary display area that presents the summary of the information displayed in the frame thereof and when the subsequent frame is displayed, the latter frame is overlaid on-the preceding frame while the summary display area is kept as the background as it is. According to the present invention having this feature, when the subsequent frame is displayed and overlaid on the preceding frame, the summary display area of the preceding frame is kept as the background as it is. Therefore, even with the subsequent frame displayed, it is possible to grasp the content of the preceding frame which is hidden by the subsequent frame. Thus, even when multiple images are displayed laid one over another, it is possible to easily grasp the total status of images being displayed.
The present invention according to each of the above configurations is further characterized in that the summary display area is enabled to disappear and can be displayed again. According to the present invention having this feature, since displaying the summary display area is meaningless if, for example the preceding frame does not have any substantial information displayed, it is possible to remove the summary display area. Conversely, the summary display area can be displayed again when the information in the preceding frame need be examined.
In accordance with the invention, an information display system capable of displaying an instruction input frame for allowing instructions of conditions of a desired processing job to be input therethrough and a status confirmation frame for allowing the status of an arbitrary processing job to be confirmed, is characterized in that with the instruction input frame preferentially displayed, a processing job summary area, that presents the summary of the processing job conditions displayed in the status confirmation frame can be displayed along with the instruction input frame. According to the present invention having this feature, with the instruction input frame displayed, the processing job summary area that briefly presents the content of the processing job being displayed in the status confirmation frame can be displayed at the same time. Therefore, the contents of the processing jobs having been input already can be reviewed by the processing job summary area even when the instruction input frame is displayed to allow new instructions to be input. As a result, it is possible to confirm the current status of the information processing apparatus at any time while new input can be given whilst confirming the status of the information processing apparatus.
The present invention of the above configuration is further characterized in that the status confirmation frame includes as part thereof the processing job summary area as a processing job list area for briefly displaying the conditions of the processing jobs while the instruction input frame is displayed so as to be overlaid on the status confirmation frame with the processing job list area kept as the background as it is. According to the present invention having this feature, the status confirmation frame includes as part thereof the processing job summary area as a processing job list area while the instruction input frame is displayed so as to be overlaid on the status confirmation frame with the processing job list area kept as the background as it is. Therefore, the contents of the processing jobs having been input already can be reviewed by the processing job list area in the status confirmation frame even when the instruction input frame is displayed to allow new instructions to be input. As a result, it is possible to confirm the current status of the information processing apparatus at any time while new input can be given whilst confirming the status of the information processing apparatus.
The present invention of the above configuration is further characterized in that the processing job summary area is displayed as part of the instruction input frame. According to the present invention having this feature, since the processing job summary area is displayed as part of the instruction input frame, the summary of the display of the status confirmation frame can be reviewed.
The present invention according to each of the above configurations,is further characterized in that the processing job summary area can be made to disappear and appear again. There are cases where display of the processing job display area along with the status confirmation frame is meaningless when, for example, no processing job reservation is made. Accordingly, in the present invention having the above feature, the summary display area can be removed. On the contrary, there are cases where the operator needs to confirm that there is no processing job reservation while engaged in the status confirmation frame. In such a case, the processing job display area can be displayed again.
The present invention according to each of the above configurations is further characterized in that icons representing the contents of processing jobs are displayed in the processing job list area. According to the present invention having this feature, it is possible for the operator to confirm the contents of processing more easily and exactly.
The present invention of the above configuration is further characterized in that icons representing the contents of processing jobs are displayed in the order in which the processing jobs are to be executed. According to the present invention having this feature, since icons representing processing jobs are displayed in the order in which the processing jobs are to be executed, the operator, having confirmed the status of the information processing apparatus, is able to give instructions of a new processing job and confirm the reception of the new instructions (the order of processing) at the same time.
The present invention according to each of the above configurations is further characterized in that when instructions of a new processing job are input through the instruction input frame and the processing job is confirmed, an icon representing the new processing job is additionally displayed in the processing job list area. According to the present invention having this feature, the operator, having confirmed the status of the information processing apparatus, is able to give instructions of a new processing job and confirm that the information processing apparatus has accepted the instructions of the new processing job, at the same time.
The present invention according to each of the above configurations is further characterized in that icons displayed in the processing job list area are displayed in such a manner that the operator can know whether a job is being executed or before execution and that a job is that which has been lust additionally reserved. According to the present invention having this feature, the user is able to recognize the current operation status of the information processing apparatus more easily and exactly by merely looking at the processing job list area.
The present invention of the above configuration is further characterized in that when referring to the icon representing a processing job before execution as the basic form, the icon representing the same processing job during execution is displayed by highlighting the basic form with black and white reversed and the icon representing the same job which has been just additionally reserved is displayed by flashing the basic form or by the rotation of the basic form. According to the present invention having this feature, it is possible to display the states of a processing job distinctively, between that before execution, during execution and that where the job has been just additionally reserved, without changing the icon shape, so that the user is able to recognize the status of a processing job more easily and exactly.
The present invention according to each of the above configurations is further characterized in that the instruction input frame can be made to disappear and can be displayed again even during execution of any processing job. According to the present invention having this feature, the instruction input frame can be made to disappear and can be displayed again even during execution of any processing job. Thus, depending upon the user""s desire, it is possible to cancel the instruction input frame and preferentially display the status confirmation frame even while a job is being executed in the image processing apparatus. Therefore, the operator is allowed not only to roughly know the contents of processing jobs from their icons but also confirm the details from the status confirmation frame, as necessary. Conversely, even when status confirmation frame is displayed to check the processing job detail with the instruction input frame temporarily deleted, the original instruction input frame can be displayed again as appropriate if required when instructions of a new job need be given or in other cases. As a result, the operator, after having confirmed the details of the contents of processing jobs already set up, is able to give instructions of a new job whilst recognizing the status of the processing jobs in progress.
The present invention according to each of the above configurations is further characterized in that the status confirmation frame is displayed at a fixed position. According to the present invention having this feature, since the instruction input frame is displayed laid over the status confirmation frame which is basically displayed at a fixed position, the operator is able to input instructions of a new processing job whilst recognizing the presence of the processing jobs already set up. Further, since the display position is fixed, the user is able to readily know that the information processing apparatus has receives user""s instructions of a new processing job.
The present invention according to each of the above configurations is further characterized in that the instruction input frame is displayed necessarily when instructions of a new processing job are given. According to the present invention having this feature, the instruction input frame is displayed necessarily when instructions of a new processing job are input. Therefore, when, for example, instructions of performing a copying operation is given with the status confirmation frame displayed, the instruction input frame is automatically displayed without giving any input indicating display of the instruction input frame. As a result, it is possible to positively confirm the instructions newly input to the information processing apparatus even with the instruction input frame undisplayed.
The present invention according to each of the above configurations is further characterized in that, where there are multiple processing modes, the status confirmation frame displays the status of processing jobs for each processing mode. The invention is characterized in that, where the multiple processing modes include a transmission mode for transmitting information and an output mode for outputting information, the reservation status of processing jobs as to information transmission is displayed in the processing job list area of the status confirmation frame when instructions for processing jobs in the transmission mode given through the instruction input frame. The invention is further characterized in that the transmission mode for transmitting information includes a facsimile mode for transmitting information via general telephone lines and an e-mail mode for transmitting information by way of internet e-mail. According to the inventions having the above features, when the information processing apparatus incorporates multiple processing modes, the status confirmation frame will display the status of processing jobs for each processing mode. For example, when the multiple processing modes include the transmission mode for transmitting information and the output mode for outputting information and further the transmission mode has two modes, i.e. the facsimile mode and the e-mail mode, the reservation status of processing jobs are displayed for each of the modes. In the above way, the status of the information processing apparatus as to the mode in-which instruction is going to be given is displayed, so that the operator is able to give new instructions to the apparatus whilst confirming the status of the information processing apparatus.
The present invention according to each of the above configurations is further characterized in that an image forming apparatus includes any of the above information display systems. This image forming apparatus is characterized by having the function of being able to be connected to networks. The image forming apparatus is further characterized in that at least two functions of copier, facsimile and printer functions and these functions can be changed one from another. Moreover, the image forming apparatus is characterized by having the internet facsimile function for enabling transmission and reception of information by way of e-mail. According to the inventions having the above features, it is possible for the operator to grasp the current status of the image forming apparatus even if instructions of multiple image forming jobs are input and to confirm each of the image forming jobs. Thus, the configuration makes it possible to enable more exact designation of image forming.